Refrigerating system



Sept. 14,1926

G.' H. WHITE RBFRIGERATING sisTEm Filed July 5 Patented Sept. 14, 1 926.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcnj GEORGE HALL WHITE, 01 WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

nnrmennnrme SYSTEM.

Application filed July 5, 1924. Serial No. 724,461,

omy. It has been heretofore proposed to relieve the system of these non-copdensible gases by providing a relief which is manually operated periodically, and also to provide a means by which the non-condensible gases, together with, the condensible gas carried thereby, is subjected to a condensat'ion to remove the condensible gases, following which the noncondensible gases are permitted to escape. The objectionto both such systems as now practiced is that such require the periodic attention of an operator, as'both include valves which must be manually opened and closed at predetermined and selected intervals, in order to relieve the system of the non-condensible gases. The use of such relief systems, While effective to some extent in relieving the'system of the non-condensible gases, is never-' theless objectionable in that the attention and time of an operator is required to permit the release of these gases, thereby materially adding to the expense and time re-' quired in the use of the refrigerating system. v The present invention is directed to means which will automatically take care of the non-condensible gases, and at the same time condense from the purging stream all condensible gases and automatically return the condensed gases to the refrigerating system, the non-condensible gases being permitted to escape under a predetermined relief pressure, the entire system being automatic in its operation, requiring no attention on the part of the operator, and serving to relieve the system completely of the non-condensible gases, while "preventing the escape of any of the condensible and therefore serviceable gases.

The invention in the preferred .embodiment of details is illustratedin the accompanylng drawings, in which: i

1g. 1 is a view in vertical section, partly in elevation, showing the improved system. Flg. 2 is a transverse section through the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail partly in section showing the valve means for admitting.

the return of condensed gases to the system.

In carrying out' this invention, use is made of the suction line pipe leading to the compressor and indicated in the drawings at 1. Atan appropriate..poin-t in the length of this pipe, there is provided an annular tubular section 2 of a diameter exceeding that of the pipe 1 and adapted to be arranged in concentric spaced relation with said pipe to provide an annular chamber 3 about the pipe 1, throughout the length of the section 2. Means indicated at 4 and of. any usual or.preferr'ed. type is employed for securing the section 2 in proper spaced 'relation to the pipe 1 and for effectively' sealing the chamber 3 against possible leakage. The means illustrated is conventional only and any appropriate means to this end is contemplated.

The chamber 3 is open at one end to the,

purge line 5, which is adapted to carry the non-condensible gases from the surface line' of the condenser, from the receiver of the system, or from both, the function of this purge line being to deliver the non-condensible gases into the chamber 3. A valve 6 controls the passage of gases through this purge line at will. The chamber 3 is connected by a pipe line 7, controlled by a v tl've 7 8 with afloat chamber 9 arranged exteriorly of thesection 2 and supported thereby in any appropriate manner. A fluid outlet in the form of a pipe 10 leads from the float chamber 9 to the interior of the suction line 1, a valve 11 controlling the passage through this pipe 10. The fluid outlet'lO isprovided within the chamber 9 with a. 7

section 12 terminating at an appropriate height within said chamber in an open. end

13, through which fluid in the chamber above said open end may reach the pipe 1.. The open end 13 of the section 12 is. a H

formed to provide avalve seat 14, which is I arranged to cooperate with a valve 15 carried upon a stem 16 which extends above the valveandis secured to a float 17, preferably in the form of a-hollow ball or the like. The valve stem 16 extends below the valve and within the section 12 and'is ter- I proper purging of the minally provided with a guiding element 18 to guide the valve stem in its vertical movement.

The float chamber 9 is provided at its upper end with an outlet 19 controlled by a valve 20 and leading to an adjustable relief valve 21 and in, communication with a pressure gauge 22.

- It is of course apparent that the suction line 1 is extremely cold, and as the purge line delivers the non-condensible gases, to-

gether with such condensible gases as may be carried therewith into the chamber -3, the condensible gases are condensed to liquid form and gradually accumulate in the float chamber 9. When the liquid accumulation in float chamber 9 is sufficient to raise thefloat 17, the accumulated liquid will flow through the pipe 1.0 and be returned to the system. In the meantime, the non-condensible gases will escape through the pipe-19' and at the pressure for which the relief valve 21 may be set will be delivered to the atmosphere. The pressure gauge 22 indicates at all times the pressure of the non-condensible gases, thereby permitting the operator to vary the set of the relief valveif it is de sired to permit the escape of such gases under a lower pressure than that for which the relief valve may be ordinarily set.

It is to be particularly noted that the relief system in its entirety is wholly automatic. Assuming the various valves open, the system functions without attention, the purge line delivering the gases to the chamber 3, the condensible gases being condensed from such accumulation, collectedin liquid form, and returned to the system while the non-condensible gases escape to the atmosphere under any predetermined limit pressure, governed of course by the system pressure at the particular time.

Any particular part of the relief system may be cut off at will by operation of the appropriate valve, that is to say, the purge line, the admission of the condensed and non-condensible gases to the float chamber, the escape of the non-condensible gases to the atmosphere or the return of the condensed gases to the refrigerating system. Thus while each and every part of the system is under manual control, it is apparent that with such controls open to the extent determined by the particular condition of the system, the relief of the non-condensible gases and the extraction of all condensible gases from such purge line stream will be carried out automatically, will be continued automatically, and will absolutely insure a system of the noncondensible gases without requiring any attention whatever on the part of the operator;

Claims:

1. In combination with the suction line leading to the compressor of a refrigerating system, of a chamber arranged about said line, a purge line opening to said chamber, a tank arranged beyond the chamber and open thereto, an outlet leading from the tank to the suction line, and means governed by the accumulation of fluid in said tank to control the delivery of such accumulated fluid from the tank to the suction line.

2. In combination with the suction line leading to the compressor of a refrigerating system, of a chamber arranged about said line, a purge line opening to said chamber, a tank arranged beyond the chamber and open thereto, an outlet leading from the tank to the suction line, float controlled means governed by the accumulation of fluid in said tank to control the delivery of such accumulated fluid from the tank to the suction line, and a non-condensible gas escape leading from the tank.

3. In combination with the suction line leading to the compressor of a refrigerating system, of a sleeve encircling and spaced from said line, means closing the ends of the sleeve to provide a closed chamber about said line, a purge line opening to said chamber, a tank arranged beyond the chamber and open thereto, an outlet leading from the tank to the suction line, means governed by the accumulation of fluid in said tank to control the delivery of such accumulated fluid from the tank to the suction line, a noncon'densible gas escape leadin from the tank, and an adjustable relie valve con trolling the outlet from said escape.

4. In combination with the suction line leading to the compressor of a refrigerating system, of a chamber arranged about said line, means mounted on the suction line for sealing the ends of the chamber, a purge line opening to said chamber, a tank arranged beyond the chamber and open thereto, an outlet leading from the tank to the suction line, means governed by the accumulation of fluid in said tank to control the delivery of such accumulated fluid from the tank to the suction line, a non-condensible gas escape leading from the tank, an adjustable relief valve controlling the outlet from said escape, and a pressure indicator in communication with said escape.

5. In combination with the suction line pipe leading to the compressor of a refrigerating system of an annular tubular section arranged to encircle said suction line pipe and of greater diameter than said pipe to form an annular chamber surrounding said line pipe, a purge line opening to said chamber, a tank communicating with said cham her and withthe line pipe and means to permit the independent escape of gases from the tank.

sis

6. In combination with the suction line leading to the compressor of a refrigerating system a tubular section encircling the suction line and forming a chamber which is l subjected to the extreme 'low temperature of the suction line a tank carried by the tubular sectionand in communication with the chamber and with the suction line, automatic means arranged in the tank to control the communication between the tank and the 10 suction line, and a gas vent from the tank. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature,

GEORGE HALL WHITE 

